It started with Larry’s Latest Sour Ale earlier this year. The brewery moved this kettle sour into the spot in the lineup previously held by Smitten Rye Ale. Now the series will host a new release in the coming new year – Bell’s Bell’s Larry’s Latest Fruit Fight, brewed with passionfruit, lime zest, and wheat. In the dead of winter, Bell himself bills this tropically themed release as a “staycation beer”:

This is a fun beer with a fun name. When it’s released, it’ll be nice little staycation of sorts, a break from the wintery blues January can bring.” – Larry Bell

Many of the beers in the “Larry’s Latest” series never leave the Eccentric Cafe in downtown Kalamazoo, Michigan. This Fruit Fight will be just the second beer to be distributed in the series. Expect it in 12-ounce bottles, 16-ounce cans, and draft.

The fruit-forward mixed case showcases the brewery’s commitment to using real fruit. Four different styles have been selected to ring in the warmer weather: Passionfruit Saison, Pineapple IPA, Tangerine Lager, and a revival of last April’s Coconut Creme Ale.

“From our seasonal Raspberry Hefeweizen to our fall seasonal Pumpkin Ale, we’re proud of our expertise in brewing with real ingredients. This pack captures the spirit of a frugivore, a fruit-eating mammal that depends on the nutritional value of fruit. These fun, bright flavors for summer showcase how fruit beer can fit any style from Saisons to IPAs.” – Stephan Hale, Founding Brewer

The Schlafly Frugi-Four Sampler Pack features three 12-ounce bottles of each style, available in distribution starting April 23rd.

SweetWater Tropical Lover rolls off the can in Atlanta as a new seasonal in April.

Nick Burgoyne, brewer at SweetWater has been developing this recipe for some time now. He created a low alcohol by volume Berliner Weisse; adding mango, guava, and passionfruit to the beer. The result was something quite tropical and very refreshing.

“When we put test batches on tap at the Woodlands and in our main taproom, people kept commenting on how drinkable and refreshing it was; they loved the tropical flavors. I imagine Tropical Lover will be a hit with folks hanging out on the water all summer, kicking back with a few daytime drinks.” – Nick B.

SweetWater Tropical Lover will be available in 12-ounce cans and draft starting April 7th. Look for a launch party at the brewery on April 19th.

Dogfish Head Dragons & YumYums, a collaboration with the band The Flaming Lips, has arrived.

Delaware based Dogfish Head is no stranger to musical collaborations. Previous releases include Bitches Brew inspired by Miles Davis, American Beauty with the Grateful Dead, and Beer Thousand with Guided By Voices. (Don’t forget the collaboration with Pearl Jam, Deltron 3030 as well.) The newest musically inspired creation by the folks in The First State is Dogfish Head Dragons & YumYums – a liquid tribute to The Flaming Lips.

Most everyone knows The Lips thanks to their 1993 hit, “She Don’t Use Jelly”. Their elaborate and over-the-top shows and known eccentricity makes partnering with the original “Off-Centered” folks at Dogfish Head.

Dragons & YumYums is billed as a “lip-smacking” tart pale ale brewed with dragonfruit, yumberry, passionfruit, pear juice and black carrot. This is no simple fruit ale. Per Dogfish Head “Us coming together to make, what might be, the world’s first vinyl record filled with pink colored beer… is somehow… perfect!!”

With a shared goal of making this collaboration an epic, sensory enveloping experience at the intersection of creative beer paired with creative music, both Dogfish and The Flaming Lips believe this is the first time a band has been so pivotal and deeply involved in the creation of the beer, the ingredients that were chosen, and the authoring of a song made specifically in tribute of the beer.

Expect Dogfish Head Dragons & YumYums will hit shelves ahead of Record Store Day 2018 – April 21st.

“Krunkles” is a fictitious character (perhaps real, depending on who you ask at the brewery) that travels the world looking for new India pale ales. The series has seen releases like Krunkles Down Under (all Aussie & New Zealand hops), Samurai Krunkles, and Dr. Krunkles.

Terrapin Luau Krunkles is inspired by a Hawaiian drink called POG. The beverage is brewed with passionfruit, orange, and guava. (Yes that same drink gave rise to the POG game of the 90’s.) In 2017 when the temperature started to rise, so did Luau Krunkles. The demand for POG is so high, the beer will be offered year-round this year.

Krunkles is back with another world renowned IPA inspired by this time spent on the Hawaiian Islands. Jam packed with tropical flavors of passionfruit, orange and guava, this “Hawaiian IPA” is brewed to accompany you to your next luau.

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